One of the major effects of climate warming on boreal forests is to increase tree death from fire and insects, and conifer stands are more flammable and often more susceptible to insect-caused tree death than broadleaved forests.

In wetter regions the broadleaved snow tussock (C. flavescens) is initially prevalent along with C. pallens on younger, better-drained soil, while C. rigida is more common on the eastern side of the Alps. With increasing altitude the smaller curled snow tussock (C. crassiuscula) takes over.